


Bondage Without the Kink

by TearsOfWinter



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anders accidentally phases through clothes and flashes everyone, Eventual Romance, Force Soulmates, M/M, Mage Fenris (Dragon Age), Soulmates, Thanks to Fenris, idiots to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 07:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TearsOfWinter/pseuds/TearsOfWinter
Summary: In this world, soulmates exist. You find your other half when you first touch skin-to-skin. For years, Anders and Fenris avoided each other, careful to never brush hands. But then one day, Anders saved Fenris' and whoops, bonded for eternity.To make matters worse, the bond allowed them to share abilities. Fenris is sneezing fire out his nose, and Anders is accidentally phasing through his clothes.Will Fenris ever adjust to being a mage? How often does Anders get imprisoned for public indecency? Read on and find out!





	Bondage Without the Kink

**Author's Note:**

> I remembered this tumblr post that talked about those click bait titles and decided to try it just once

From the moment they met, Fenris and Anders mixed like oil and water. A snarl, an insult and they were at each other's throats, ready to tear the other apart. Since then, they became irrevocable enemies. For Hawke's sake, and Hawke's sake only, they tolerated each other's presence, but just barely. Whenever they were in a room together, forced to occupy the same space, they took care to never touch. If Fenris was at one end of the table, Anders sat in a chair furthest from him. On missions, one would take point while the other stayed near the rear.

The others laughed at their ridiculous antics, thinking they were taking their rivalry too far. Perhaps part of that was true. They kept their distance because of their mutual animosity, but deep down on a subconscious level, they knew the truth... Then the truth bit them in the ass in the worst possible way.

The rafters in the mansion shook as another armchair crashed into the wall. Anders sighed and dusted the dust out of his hair.

"Are...you sure you want to stay here?" Hawke asked, eyes nervously darting up to the second floor. He winced at the sound of glass breaking. "You could stay with me instead."

Anders shook his head. "I'd love to, but I can't. It's too far. While the bond settles... I have to stay near Fenris." In the room, more furniture broke and strings of Tevene curses floated downstairs.

"You're taking this pretty well," Hawke commented. "Better than Fenris."

"Am I?" Anders laughed, the sound hollow and forced. _Bound, captured, trapped. Nowhere to run. Legs broken, twisted and mangled. Had to be taught a lesson. Templars laughing. Always laughing..._

Sensing Anders' disquiet, Justice began to stir awake, ready to defend his friend from perceived threats. But this wasn't something Justice could save him from. Quickly, he clamped a hand over his mouth and swallowed down his rising panic. He felt lightheaded from the thunder of his own pulse. In and out, in and out, he took big gulping breaths to calm his nerves. He was frightened at the turn of events, bound to a mage-hater. The feeling, startling in its force, threatened to disintegrate his control, and so he hurriedly withdrew back into himself.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm just peachy," he repeated, as if, if he said it enough times, it'd be true.

Taking her eyes off Fenris' door, Hawke glanced back down at her friend and observed him. She wanted to make sure he was truly alright and not only acting the part. "If you can't come with me, I can stay. You're both important to me. I don't want either of you two get hurt." She leaned close enough to wrap her arms around Anders, treating him like one of her siblings she would die protecting. "I love you, you stupid mage."

Anders' smile quivered. Maker, why couldn't it be Hawke? Why did it have to be Fenris of all people? "I love you too, you foolish woman." He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. "I... I think you can go. We can't hurt each other. We have a lot to discuss."

Hawke kept Anders' gaze for three heartbeats, but when his will didn't waver, she awkwardly rubbed the back of her head and sighed. "Fine, I'll go. I'm sending Aveline to check up on you ever hour though."

"Wouldn't expect anything less from our mother hen."

"Ooo, if Aveline found out you called her a mother hen, she'll have your hide."

"I was referring to you, Hawke."

"You're too old to be my son." The quip surprised a genuine laugh out of Anders'.

Skipping backward toward the door, Hawke smiled, delighted she broke the blond free from his melancholy. Before she left, she popped her head back in to give one final advice. "I know it may seem like the end of the world because you and Fenris aren't the best of friends, but this is a gift. Some people spend their entire life looking for their soulmate and never find them, so you're one of the lucky ones."

Lucky... Anders turned to the staircase and stared at Fenris' room in contemplation. Behind the double doors, more furniture could be heard broken into smithereens. "Lucky" wasn't a word either of them would use to describe their situation.

Reluctantly, he began his trek upstairs, unable to put off facing Fenris any longer. Their soulmate bond was too new. Even at such a short distance between the entrance hall and the bedroom, Anders' felt restless. There was an odd crawling sensation in his stomach, getting worse and worse the longer they stayed apart. Fenris was in the same state, a tinge of his irritation trickled through their shared link.

An uncharitable thought entered Anders' mind. He shouldn't have saved him. If he hadn't touched the wound with his bare hands to stop the bleeding, they would've never found out they were soulmates. All those years they spent avoiding each other, their efforts gone in a flash.

The doors to Fenris' bedroom burst open in a flurry of snow.

"You should've let me die!" The elf bit out through gritted teeth.

For a second, Anders worried Fenris read his thoughts. Feeling guilty at his pettiness, he opened his mouth to apologize, but the elf plowed forward. He grabbed Anders by the front of his collar and yanked him down until they were eye level.

"I've become what I despise most," he hissed, lyrium flashing on his skin in clear distress. The front of Anders' robe crackled as it turned to ice in Fenris' hand. He snatched his hand back as if burned, eyes wide in disbelief and bewilderment. But his second of vulnerability didn't last. Anger was an easier emotion to direct his anguish. "I rather _die_ ," Fenris said, shoulders shaking with suppressed fury, "than be like Danarius."

Anders narrowed his eyes, but bit back his biting remark. "It wasn't fun for me to phase through my clothes either, let me tell you. Live with it for now. The bond's new, so our abilities are bleeding into each other. Once it's settled, we'll be back to normal." He hoped.

To be soulmates was to be blessed by the Maker. According to Chantry law, mages that find their other half was a sign their soul was pure and incorruptible. They were free to leave the Circle... which was why the Circle made sure no mage found their soulmate. If there was suspicion there was a match, one would "mysteriously" be transferred to a different Circle. It was why mages had to keep their love a secret, why Anders was inconsolable for days when he heard of Karl's transfer.

In his life, Anders' never met a mage that found his soulmate. He didn't know if Fenris tapping into his magic was only temporary or if it's a byproduct of being a mated pair. Justice disapproved of his white lie, but what did spirits know about grey areas? Some white lies could be used for good!

"We don't know how long this will last. In the meantime, I think it's best to train you as a mage."

Ice crackled under Fenris' feet as he listened to Anders, intimidating in his silence. Fenris' anger was loud as thunderclap though he didn't say a single word.

"If you don't want to use magic, fine. Have it your way," Anders continued, "But you need to learn control. You're letting your emotion direct your magic. It's dangerous."

"I don't need you to tell me the dangers of magic."

"I'm trying to help you, you stubborn idiot!"

In frustration, Anders took a step forward toward Fenris. Their eyes met. He held Fenris' gaze for a moment to prove that he could... and felt tug in his groin, the liquid roll of desire. Unmistakable. Infuriating.

Fenris threw himself back and away from Anders, the wide eyes returning. "What's happening? What did you do?"

"Nothing," Anders said. He rubbed his arms, feeling and hot all at once. He felt unnerved... Aroused... Suddenly, Fenris' presence flooded his senses. It felt like he was pressing himself onto him, though he didn't move. "I didn't do anything."

"Then why-"

"We're soulmates." What should be a joyous word sounded like death on Anders' lips. "We're chosen for each other by the Maker. Bonded for life. There's no breaking it short of death."

"Impossible... there must be a way..." Fenris was rooted to the spot in horror. But after hearing Anders, feeling in his gut that he was bonded to another mage... He had to get away. That thought, barely formed but imperative, started him moving again. He had to leave. He couldn’t take his eyes off him. “I refuse to believe you."

“It’s easily proved. If I reached for you right now, put my hand on you, you would be mine. In spite of all you have to lose, you wouldn’t be able to refuse me. Your need is too great.”

“That—that—” Fenris managed to tear his eyes away and was able to move again. To pace. “You’ve gone beyond arrogance to ugly.”

“You can’t settle. Something’s eating you from the inside. Your arousal is apparent whenever you walk past me."

Fenris went pale, then flushed. "Don't tempt me, _mage_ , or I'll rip your heart out."

Anders shrugged. “I can’t help it. No more than you can. To be chosen is to have many choices taken away. They say that other choices arrive, some sweet, some terrible. It’s a rare thing, to be chosen.” He was bitter, not seductive. “You don’t want to believe, but you must for both our sake."

“I _don’t_ believe. I don’t worship your Maker, and I refuse to be in love with a mage."

“That’s as well. The primary bond is between our bodies, not our minds and hearts,” Anders said with a smile as sad as it was breathtaking. He thought he was over his whorish days... but he supposed not.

Fenris stared before breaking out into swear words. "Soulmate bonds?" he spat out, "It's a sexual geas! No different than what magisters use!"

Fenris had enough. He pushed pass Anders and ran down the stairs. He had to get away, get some fresh air, clear his head, but he barely reached the front doors when breathing suddenly became difficult. White spots entered his vision and his feet drifted to a halt. He turned and almost fell if he hadn't caught himself on the wall.

"What...what is-"

Anders took a single step closer down the steps, and it was as if the Giant's grip over his heart eased. He took a breath, the dizziness disappearing, but the urgency increased.

"Until we cement the bond, the margin of how far we can be from each other is small." Anders stood arms length away from him.

"How do we cement the bond?" Fenris took in gulping heaps of air, the heat in the glare he threw the mage spoke more than just hate.

"Sex."

The front door to Fenris' mansion blew out from a sudden snow storm.


End file.
